1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for exercising the human body. More particularly, the invention relates to an exercise apparatus having two hand holds which can be rotated and moved laterally apart.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Weight lifting devices and exercising machines are well known in the prior art. One of the common exercising devices is the barbell consisting of a elongated bar having weights at each end thereof. To exercise with the barbell, the operator may raise and lower the barbell from and to the ground while standing, and may lie in the prone position and raises and lowers the bar bell above his chest.
The position of the hands relative to the bar on the conventional barbell is fixed. The hands must grasp the elongated bar with the knuckles facing upward or with the palms facing upward. The hands must remain in a fixed position while lifting the barbell and the wrist cannot be rotated. The hands cannot be moved laterally away or toward each other without the risk of dropping the barbell. Thus, the specific muscles which are exercised using the common barbell are limited and dumb bells which can be held in one hand, or other weight lifting equipment, must be used to exercise muscles not exercised by the barbell.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,370 discloses a weight lifting apparatus having rotatable handle means mounted in a pair of rings which are rigidly connected to a rod. The rod is in three sections, one section joining the two rings and two other sections extending outwardly from the rings to which weights are attached. The rotatable handle means cannot be moved laterally toward each other or away from each other; their position is fixed on the weight lifting bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,198 discloses an exercise bar including a pair of dependent shafts at oposite ends of the bar with each shaft being threaded to receive weight plates. Hand grips or a pair of freely rotatably members positioned on the bar adjacent oposite ends thereof to permit the weights to move in a complete circle around the bar while performing exercise such as overhead lift from the floor, forward curl, reverse curl, knee bends, shoulder press, and the like. The hand grips cannot be moved toward each other nor may the hand grips be rotated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,597 discloses an exercising shaft having two hand grips which can be spring loaded to allow limited movement of the hand grips toward and away from each other.